


Abyss

by DarkLordEsti



Series: Amoi Series - english version [1]
Category: Ai no Kusabi, Original Work
Genre: Father/Son Incest, Love Confessions, Love Letters, M/M, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 05:50:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 19
Words: 8,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8000890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkLordEsti/pseuds/DarkLordEsti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The scientists of the Abyss expeditions were outcasts, outlaws. Their names were removed from all the registers. </p><p>Ai no Kusabi - novel-based original: my version of the life of Abyss expedition.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_The world was so young that most of things did not have names..._  
_(c) Gabriel Garcia Marquez_

Years and years will pass, and, dying of wounds received in action, Douglas Boma in pre-death delirium will see those days when he and Adelberth Mink were among the first people who landed on Amoi. Everything there was new and unexplored at that time. Neither ocean and seas, nor rivers and forests had any names.  
He will remember that legal escape from the Planet Federation - yes, that so-called official expedition was a real escape. The scientists of the Abyss expeditions were outcasts, outlaws. Their names were removed from all the registers. In fact, for those who stayed in the Federation, the departing were dead.  
By the time of his death the ones, with whom he started the way of Abyss, will be either dead or insane. Amoi became their promised land and their damnation.

*

  
_*Independent Planets Federation, State New-California, town New-Sacramento, Central laboratory #1*_

\- Damn, you look really sad. What did they tell you again? - the tall blonde man with grey eyes put aside his work and looked at his friend, also blonde, but with a sharp sapphire look.  
\- They are going to kick me out. Blacklisted, that's it. Hal gave a complaint that I do illegal research. Experiments with DNA and other forbidden staff. This is the end, Doug. They told me, if I continue this way I will be sent to prison.  
\- You can move to a neutral state. Adelberth, that was just the matter of time. All those self-righteous guys from our government support religion and forbid any new experiments. They make science serve the church. Even me, just military - I have to write thousands of explanatory reports on every step I do, - Douglas pointed on the pile of papers on his work desk.  
Adelberth lit his cigarette.  
\- Anyway they do not persecute you yet. With me it's worse. They do not care that I carried out the experiments in my free time and on my own cost.  
\- What will you do, then? - asked Douglas. - It's hard to find any job with the black list. Shall I call some of the people I know? May be they will help.  
\- No, don't get in such a trouble. I have decided already. I will join the Abyss expedition.  
\- It's insane! - exclaimed Douglas. Even he, military, who has been in the flash points of the planet, was a bit scared. - Are you really going to Amoi? That's a dead place!  
Mink shrugged his shoulders.  
\- I do not see any other decision. With such a reputation as mine I must be thankful that at least people in the Abyss accept me.  
\- Then I go with you, - said Douglas resolutely.  
Adelberth looked surprised.  
\- You do not have to.  
\- If they persecute you, they will get me too just because I am your friend. That's how the witch hunt goes. I have got my reasons to get out of this damned laboratory... And I guess the expedition will need qualified militaries too.  
\- Don't know if they need soldiers. But OK, we can see professor Fort tomorrow. Can try.

 


	2. Chapter 2

_The most beautiful flowers grow out of dust..._   
_(c)_

\- They claim that we are going to create the glorious new world. Don't believe. Nobody promises you roses on this way, - Garreth Fort, the commanding official of the expedition, warned them. - As far as I understand, you, Mr Mink, and you, Mr Boma, are going to join the Abyss because the government can persecute you for the forbidden research. But you must understand, once you take this decision, there will be no way back.

Professor Fort was a stout man in his forties. He looked more like a worker, than like a scientist: short, rough-built, like a dwarf, hands covered with scars and marks of old burns, dishevelled grey hair. But the look of his black eyes was clever and wise.

Adelberth nodded.  
\- I understand. Anyway, I am already in that lottery, where the main prize is extermination. Doing my research I have already lost almost everything. My parents do not want to have anything in common with me, my bride has left me long ago and my only friend is here with me.   
\- And I also have nothing to lose and nothing to regret, - added Douglas/

Garreth Fort gave them a serious look.  
\- Many people who have a hard time, say, that they have nothing to lose. But is it really so? It's a really risky trip. Have you already heard who will depart for Amoi with us?  
Douglas smiled ironically.  
\- Well, try to surprize me.  
\- They send with us former prisoners. The ones, for whom there is no place in jails. Of course, even among them there are some decent people, who were put to prison only because of political matters. But there are enough rascals too. If there will be a riot, we will have no chance even to get to the place, - explained professor Fort.  
\- It intrigues! - said Douglas/ - One more reason for me to try.


	3. Chapter 3

In a week after that meeting two friends finally settled all the matters at the previous job and departed for the investigation center of Abyss. By that time lost of people joined the expedition - medical workers, housebuilders, technologists, ecologists - everybody, who by different reasons could not find any place in Federation. Unexpextedly, qualified workers from overpopulated planets-states decided to join, leaving possible rebels in the minority.

\- It looks like the history of colonization of Australia in the ancient Terran times, - once said Adelberth to his friend.  
\- Amoi Incognita, - Douglas agreed.

*

Print media and television did not dwell upon the future expedition too much. The official version was that the government plans to send people to long-deserted lands in order to build new work places and probably move there the critical process industry in future.

Nobody mentioned, how really many stientists, mainly geneticists and programmers, leave the Federation. Only the future migrants knew that the state gets rid of them - almost in a humane way.

Arman Zavi, programmer, who explored the possibilities of artificial intellect of new generation, seemed to be the dark horse of the group. Blondish young man in a mask arrived from the capital of Federation. Instead of documents he had the 'prisoner card' from one of the most notorious federal jails. Nobody knew his real name and what he did before. There was a rumor that he had been sent out of the country on President's will.

Most of people treated the young man with suspect. But professor Fort said, this was a man of extraordinary genius. Arman Zavi dreamed to create a live artificial intellect. Intellect, which can not only control the functions of a whole city, but also think as a human personality.  
At that time such an idea sounded insane.


	4. Chapter 4

In the night before departure Douglas saw odd, strange and disturbing dreams. In a grotesque vision he returned to the times when he lived in his parental home in a small town in New-Virginia.

His family for a long time ruled the Neo-Quakers' community. The spacious and beautiful pastors' home was an example for almost the whole town. Douglas's grandfather was a prominent pastor who did much for the community and for the town. His father and younger brother also served the Church. Elder brother taught Religious Education in one of the universities in the capital. Having chosen the carrier of a soldier, Douglas became an outcast, a black sheep of the family.

For a long time he did not even think of the relatives whom he left - but in this vision he saw his granddad Johann, tall silver-haired old man with a wise and in the same time kind look. Granddad was like a patriarch in the family. Douglas remembered, how grandpa cared about all the grandchildren and treated them with honey, saying: "It's best to taste some honey, at least you know that it's pure and nice"/

There was always a smell of honey and wax at home, smell of cleanness and innocence. And in his dream Douglas saw pastor Johann walk in the air, walk above earth like the saints in the ancient legends did.

This image changed by another one, more scary - he saw grandmother Teresa in her last years. The small and energetic woman grew even smaller with the time - when she was dead she looked almost like a doll. And he saw how grandchildren played with that old and blackened doll.

He woke up with heart beating from anxiety. He still had the feeling as if he were not in that temporary dwelling of the expedition, but at home. The bed lamp blinked gloomily, and in that small light he saw that his neigbor, Arman Zavi, did not take off the mask even during night time.  
Douglas could not understand that silly habit to leave light in the room for night time. But that was the only irritating thing - in fact, his neighbor seemed interesting and unusual to him. He was almost sure that Arman descended from an aristocratic family.

When he rose from his bed and made a couple of steps along the room, Arman woke up too, having a light sleep.  
\- Do you feel unwell, Douglas? - asked Arman in a worried voice.  
\- Everything's all right. Just nightmares.  
\- It happens, especially before departure, - said Arman. - I saw something uneasy too.

For some times they sat on their beds and looked at each other silently. And then again fell in dark sleep, filled with nightmares.

*

On next day's morning Adelberth, on the contrary, looked energetic and undisturbed by any bad presentiments. He was even joking.  
\- At least we bid farewell to this contry. The land of slaves, the state of lords!(1)  
Professor Fort was serious and strict.  
\- There is no time for jokes already. We will not return here anymore.  
Arman smiled.  
\- I am almost happy that we will never return. We will create the beautiful new world.

That morning was cold, gray and foggy. The black space rocket was like a spire running through the gloomy sky.

Five... four... three... two... one... start!  
The engine roared, and the scientists of Abyss left the Federation forever.

_______________________________  
(1) The land of slaves, the state of lords! - M. Lermontov, Farewell to Russia.


	5. Chapter 5

_At that time Macondo was a village of twenty adobe houses, built on the bank of a river of clear water that ran along a bed of polished stones, which were white and enormous, like prehistoric eggs._   
_(c) Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 100 years of solitude_

The spaceship of the expedition landed on Amoi at sunrise. Dark-lilac sky gradually grew clearer, and in the dim light were seen two moons - silvery and golden.  
\- What are the names of the moons? - asked Douglas.  
\- They've got no names, - said professor Fort. - No one has lived here long enough to care to name anything. We are the first here who will settle for long enough to name lands and seas and to build homes.

*

It was a great luck that they got to Amoi soon and without any accidents. Even the former prisoners did not rebell. In the beginning of the expedition Douglas settled this problem, offering the leaders not to take into account people's former trespasses. It was the chance to start a new life, and rare person could refuse it. "As soon as we decided to leave the Federation forever, we must leave there all our bad past too ans start a life with pure conscience", - said Douglas/ - "Now we all are equal, and it depends only on us, whether we will become honest people or a squad of vagabonds".  
He could persuade people and lead them. Talent, inherited from his ancestors, religious leaders, was great deal helpful in war.   
He knew what to promise - the life which almost everyone desperately longed for.

"What has Federation given you? Nothing. You lived in poverty and saw how the richest ones spent the inheritance of their glorious ancestors in vain. They were so full of themselves and did not care a bit how you lived. You aren't sinners - the social order made you break the rules. But on Amoi we will create the world in which we do want to live".

Already in the time of the flight Adelberth, Douglas and Arman became the people on whom professor Fort could rely in everything. They were ones of the most talented - but moreover they were most ready for a risk. In the Federation they could lose their lives in any moments - and here they saw nothing to be afraid of.

*

The spaceship landed not far from the river. The first group of investigators, who left the ship for further search, found in some distance from the river remnants of ancient buildings and a half-ruined vault. Probably long ago some civilization had already lived there.

The group ecologists took samples of water to have it analyzed. If it is suitable for use, it is valuable for ability to develop the new life.

It was decided to build the first homes and laboratories on the places where there already were remnants of buildings and basements. From the lower modulus of the ship the workers drove out a machine for building and construction works. The machine was one of the samples of new intellect programming, already started by Arman Zavi. It enabled to build more in shorter time. Zavi offered to construct underground emergency shelters first, as nobody knows which danger can await on land.

However, already in the first days on the new land people left their shelter on spaceship. Those of the migrants who could afford to load in the "Noah Ark" of the spaceship their cars or mini-vans, sellted in the temporary shelters and hoped to build proper homes soon.

  
All life seemed to be ahead of them and they were sure it will become happy. The communication center started to function soon and kept connection with the laboratories in New-Sacramento. They could receive support for the first time, and the settlement grew.


	6. Chapter 6

_At first Jose Arcadio Buendia had been a kind of youthful patriarch who would give instructions for planting and advice for the raising of children and animals, and who collaborated with everyone, even in the physical work, for the welfare of the community. (c)_

Already in the first months of its life the settlement grew. Unexpextedly, many people arrived on their own will. Those ones who did not know about the expedition before, or those who could not catch the chance to depart with the first group, joined now. While in the Federation the conservative party, promoting religious control and the so-called traditional values, grew, the number of people, willing to emigrate, grew too. Scientists, whose research was under the strict overseeing of the Church. Militaries, who did not want to take part in the annexation wars and hybrid wars on the far outskirts of the galaxy. Youth, whose close people had already suffered from unjust laws. They all considered, that even the unknown prospects are better than foreseeable disasters.

They took everything what they could carry on the freight shuttles. Provisions, seed, fertilizers, instruments, furniture. Like snails, they carried everything they could. As they also were warned: once you get to Amoi, you will never return.

But Berty Clark, the chief architect of the group, promised, that everything must be ideal. He joined the second wave of the immigrants on a silly, trite reason. His beloved lady quitted him and to spite her he joined the most dangerous expedition of his time. But soon he forgot about the suffers of unrequitted love and hoped, that on Amoi he will make true the cherished dream - to create the "ideal city".

Douglas said once about him:  
\- He is so small and awkward, but has big heart and big talent. I bet he will create what he dreams of. It's far more worthy aim, than love.  
\- Yes, he is a genius, - Adelberth agreed. - I hope to talk him into giving blood for analysis for my experiments. He and people like him can be the basis of the ideal race.  
\- Ideal people and ideal race in ideal town... You both dream of the impossible! - Douglas doubted. - Do you think we can achieve this? Now we think how to survive. You dream about genetical experiments while we alltogether try to explore this gloomy land and to grow at least some harvest to depend less on the metropoly. We cannot afford love and dreams.  
\- You say such cynical things. I wonder if you hope for love and dreams for yourself. But well, it's matter of time. Anyway... - Adelberth paused. - Anyway if we do not see the ideal state, our children and grandchildren will.  
\- If anyone is born here.

*

Many years will pass and in the pre-death visions Douglas will see that little cosy town they built, so unlike to the Iron City of Tanagura, which grew further. In the first years Garreth, Douglas, Adelberth and Arman were like ancient partiarchs, who would give instructions for planting and advice for the raising of children and animals, and who collaborated with everyone. Only before death he will understand, that they were really happy in that new town, where no one had died yet.

The settlement looked as if it appeared from those grotesque dreams which many of the immigrants saw in those times. Small houses on surface and labyrinths underneath - no one trusted the new 'motherland' enough. All more or less important laboratories were situated underground.

But already in the first years almond trees were planted on this land.


	7. Chapter 7

__

_"Things have a life of their own, " ... "It's simply a matter of waking up their souls. "(c)_

By the end of the year a town grew out on the earlier deserted lands. Straight and long streets ran from the central building - Eos Tower, where the headquorters of the expedition was situated. New and new laboratories were built, and new blocks, where Arman Zavi worked at the artificial intellect of new type, Lambda-3000.

A year passed, but people in the research group knew about Arman only what was said in the first days. He trusted no one and preferred to speak only about his invention, which took most of his time. He had a calculating mind. Even Douglas, who could find a common language with any person, either professor or gaol-bird, could get from him nothing besides stories about his favorite "child".

\- Already now she can plan quarters and buildings, she can manage extremely complex calculations. Imagine what can happen in the future!

\- You call the machine "she"? - Douglas was surprised.

\- But why not? Artificial intellect can function as a personality, - Arman's mysterious look of grey eyes was serious. - Every thing is alive, you will see.

*  
As the welfare of the settlement grew, Adelberth spent more and more time on projecting the new race. He created composite images of the future overhumans, made up lists of possible donors and possible combinations of genes. Nobody interfered in his actions - on Amoi everyone was busy with more down-to-earth issues, and the metropoly seemed not to care for what was happening in the settlement.

For the first experiments Adelberth used his own genes, Douglas also did not refuse to give material for analysis. They wanted to create an overhuman based on Arman's qualities and doubted, how to persuade The Mask - this man yet seemed too mysterious.  
But Arman himself offered participation. He was fascinated by the mere idea. Humans with unbelievable intelligence and computer functioning as personality - it was right what he wanted to see in future.


	8. Chapter 8

_Nevertheless, beyond all logic, Aureliano was sure of his prediction. "I don't know who it will be, " he insisted, "but whoever it is is already on the way. " That Sunday, in fact, Rebeca arrived. She was only eleven years old. She had made the difficult trip from Manaure with some hide dealers who had taken on the task of delivering her along with a letter to Jos Arcadio Buenda, but they could not explain precisely who the person was who had asked the favor. Her entire baggage consisted of a small trunk, a little rocking chair with small hand-painted flowers, and a canvas sack which kept making a cloc-cloc-cloc sound, where she carried her parents' bones._   
_(с)_

Those days were warm and calm. People were busy with work in fields, laboratories, greenhouses and building areas, when shuttle with the new migrants arrived. Among many adults there was a child, or better to say teenager - about fifteen years old. He was blonde, tall and thin, with unusual amber eyes - eyes of a madman or witcher. He was the first to appear from the shuttle, and at once he demanded that he must see Adelberth Mink.

\- What for do you need to trouble one of the main scientists? - the officer asked. - There are more than enough people to care for the underaged.  
\- I am his relative, - said the boy and pulled out a letter from his shabby sack which kept making cloc-cloc sound.

It was said in the letter, that Adelberth's distant relatives, Theodore and Maria Claire, died, and there was no another close person to care for the orphan, named Theodore after father.

Adelberth did not remember any Maria Claire among his acquaintances or relatives, but still he left Theodore in the headquarters.

The teenager was kind of a strange person. Something kept clocking in his rucksack, and though the X-ray found nothing dangerous in it, the boy's habbit to carry it everywhere caused some kind of bad feeling. And his look was too strange and unusual.

*

Claire seemed not to sleep at all. But somehow he was able to notice lots of things, his watchfulness and unexplainable talent helped the scientists to prevent breakdowns of the machines and to take care of crops and animals before storms come.

But Theodore talked to the others mainly to warn about something, and most of the time he kept silence. He did not tell anyone about his past. Did not express any feelings.

Something clocked in his sack. Quiet voice warned: "There will be storm".   
Theodore avoided women and motherly care. He seemed to live in his own world.

*

Many years later, in pre-death delirium, Douglas will remember how insomnia attacked the whole settlement. May be it was just a twisted vision - but it seemed, that in those time they all lived in a kind of escaping reality, and the artificial intelligence was one of the means to keep the real knowledge.

 


	9. Chapter 9

_Aureliano, the first human being to be born in Macondo, would be six years old in March. He was silent and withdrawn. He had wept in his mother's womb and had been born with his eyes open._  (c)

In the end of the second and in the beginning of the third year of life in the colony, first children were born - migrants' kids as well as artificial creations from Adelberth's laboratories. But alongside with joy this provoked deeply unsettled feeling, so unlike they were to normal human kids. These ones were born with eyes open and stared at the world with surprise.

\- Will they be the ideal people you had talked about? - asked professor Fort with doubt. Before he was not so concerned about Adelberth's experiments: he was aware that he accepted the scientist, who did prohibited research. But now, touching the glass with his rough hand, tired from hard work, and looking at the child, growing in an artificial womb, he was even scared. Even in the hypnotic sleep the child did not close his eyes.

\- They will be ideal, - said Adelberth, assured as a fanatic, ready to sacrifice anything for the sake of his dream. - How do you find this one? He will be stronger than most people now. And look at that one, - he pointed at another growing creature, that stared with dark green eyes.-This will be future scientist. Little Marius will achieve much more than me, I hope.

\- Do you already give them names? - the chief of the expedition asked.

Adelberth smiled:  
\- Just for fun we do. Arman named this kid Marius. Later he wants to download the name-generator in his super-machine. Can you imagine? New people will receive names randomly, they will be free from any family inheritance.

Fort did not look at him. With the sadness of a man who wanted and could not become a father, he watched the green-eyed child.  
\- You cannot be totally free from the "tails" from the past. The genes...

Mink shrugged his shoulders.  
\- MY science will changed it. You will see.

*

They all lived in expectance - "You will see". And even newborn strange children, with unusual colors of eyes and hair, and born already with teeth, along with uneasiness still brought hope.   
May be this is natural? May be they just adjust to the environment?

Parents' fear that children can inherit not the best traits, produced almost new nations within families. In this atmosphere of fear mixed with hope, only Douglas could joke: 'thanks God we do not bear iguanas!".

*

In some years, when during the war with Federation, Douglas will murder his family, his aunt will cry out: "The old prophecy came true, the last one in the family was born with scorpion's tale, and this tale is in your heart!".

 


	10. Chapter 10

_"We have still not had a death, " he said. "A person does not belong to a place until there is someone dead under the ground. "Ursula replied with a soft firmness: "If I have to die for the rest of you to stay here, I will die. "_   
_(c)_

In one morning the center for connection with the Federation went quiet. There was a tense silence. No sygnal at all. The servicemen of the center checked all the technical appliances, one more time and again and again. Seemed it was all right. But still no connection. Dead silence.

\- Did you receive any messages? - Garret asked Adelberth.

\- No. I asked the rest. No one received any messages.

\- If something wrong happened in the Federation, we would have known at once, - said Arman quietly. - I am sure they have just decided to leave us to our own fate.

\- They could not! - professor Fort was shocked.   
He spent so much time working for the sake of the colony and proving its benefits for the state, that such an outcome was like a stab in his back for him.

\- So, they decided to ditch us? - Douglas asked roughly. - Well, I expected something like that.

\- How will people live now? - worried Garret. He was trifling with a pencil nervously, and in his big hands the pencil looked absurdly small.

\- Everyone knew that all this was a one-way ticket, - said Douglas coldly.

\- But still they hoped for something. And still we stay the part of the Federation.

\- May be we will like independence more? - said Adelberth with irony. - The metropoly already has cut the expences on us. And in these years we do produce much on our own. Science will support us.

\- People do not need science, they need stability... - professor Fort still worried.

\- They will relax and enjoy the situation, - sneered Douglas. - I will settle that.

*

When instead of the current news from Federation the colonists heard, that the state abandoned them, a riot broke out. People came up to the Eos tower demanded shuttles to get home.

Douglas went out and stood on the stairs, holding a microphone. In simple black-and-white clothes he looked like a wild beast.

\- You want to get home? - he asked loudly. - Why have you decided that your home is there? You knew since the first days that you will never leave Amoi.

\- We have still not had a death here, - the answer from the crowd followed. - A person does not belong to a place until there is someone dead under the ground.

Boma laughed insanely:  
\- If my death will make you stay there, I will die. Well? Will anyone dare?

Dead silence followed.

In that moment everyone understood: Douglas was ready to die as well as murder anyone who is against. He was an alpha leader and no one dared to protest.

Then he continied:  
\- We will live much better if we become an independent state. Sooner or later, Federation will kneel down before us.


	11. Chapter 11

Soon in all the other states people got to know that the federal government decided to give up all responsibility for Amoi colony. Seekers of 'hot news' were agitated and soon got in touch with the headquarters of the expedition, asking them to allow a visit to Amoi for making a broadcast.  
\- How they coud find us? - professor Fort wondered. - By this time we stayed a closed zone.  
\- The president of the Federation does not give anyone any comments. Not surprising that all those guys want to ask us, - Adelberth was irritated.  
Only Douglas was glad, how things turned, saying with cynical joy:  
\- They want to arrive - no problem. We will accept them as fine as we can now. If anyone will be interested to work with us and to support us, they are welcome!  
\- Doug, you will turn our place into a kind of public thoroughfare, - Adelberth objected.  
\- You think it's bad? Consider the truth, my friend: only such fanatics as you and Clark are ready to work at scientific problems, not caring about food and clothes. Ordinary people just want to live well. Journalists need sensations, and you even cannot imagine how many people all over the galaxy need a neutral place where they can solve all their problems. We will give them what they want, and they will give us money on science.   
\- Don't you say you will open a loose-love center? - asked Arman ironically.  
Douglas answered in the same careless tone:  
\- If that brings money on science, I will do. By the way, Adelberth, you said you had grown in your laboratories creatures, which cannot think properly, only caress each other no matter of circumstances?  
\- Please, do not even remind me of this failure! They are useless...  
\- Why? We can exhibit these pets in erotic shows. People are tired from religious pressure in Federation. They will pay money to see sex shows and to buy every kind of sex. 

Adelberth frowned.  
\- I do not recognize you, Doug! You think only about money...  
\- I think how we can survive on our own. If we have money, we can go on with our research.  
At last Mink gave up:  
\- Do what you want. But you and only you will be responsible for what happens.

Arman Zavi touched his mask slightly.  
\- All this sounds cruel. But I would rather try.

*

In spring almond trees grew in the park, planned according to Berty Clark's project. Near the park in haste were built stalls, beer stands, sheds, stages. Places for entertainments were built hugger-mugger, rough-and-ready, as before people had no time and desire for leisure. Now some families rented flats to tourists, sometimes several families moved in one home to rent a free building for new aims.

All this was too awkward, too spotted, too hugger-mugger, still crowds of people arrived from different states, bringing money, food, information. "Sex dolls" triggered an unexpectedly high demand, Douglas sold the first ones for tons of money and asked Adelberth to produce more creatures of such a kind. 

A modest colony had all chances to turn into a place where guests can make true all their wild dreams. The foundators did not dream about such things, but they had to accept such a reality to survive.   
And Garreth and Adelberth watched silently, how Douglas accepted journalists and tourists and promised them mountains and marvels.

A new era started.


	12. Chapter 12

Quicker-quicker-quicker. It all was like a whirlwind. A mad merry-go-round.  
More guests meant more money and more comfort. Exquisite buildings grew gradually on the places of primitive saloons. First colonists were already able to start to build proper homes, and soon moved from their old shelters in brand-new skyscrapers.

\- Millions, we will have millions, milliards of money! - exclaimed Douglas with wild enthusiasm. One day, when he got money for some very risky affair, he caught Arman by hand, almost by force leading in the room, where a broad table was piled with cash, cheques and coins. 

\- You shouldn't risk like that and you shouldn't grasp me like that, - said Arman coldly. His grey eyes darkened with mistrust and irritation.

\- Take all this money, it's all yours... - Douglas hugged Arman, and, holding him tight in embraces, made him sit on the table, piled with money. - You are a real genius, and now you have enough duckets to develop your new-level machines.

\- Boma, I must ask you one more time, you shouldn't admire me or my inventions in such unseemly way. 

Douglas was not offended by such a prim tone.  
\- I just say and do what I feel. Don't be so shy and spend this money as you wish. You would have never got such a chance in Federation.

*

The city was shining and growing. With the help of the machines, invented by Arman, work did not stop even when people felt tired and went to sleep. New city became sleepless, as if guests had brought insomnia with.


	13. Chapter 13

Arman was proud of his invention. That artificial intellect was what he had long dreamt of. Gradually the machine became of much use in Adelberth's experiments, helping to check the mistakes in projects and improve the process of growing "people of new age". In the laboratories grew new overhumans. Adelberth dreamt to create genetics elite, using genes of his own and of the smartest people in the expedition. Douglas, Arman and Theodore agreed to take part in this experiment. On the basis of their appearance and talents, Adelberth tried to start kind of a new race.

As it was decided, it was the artificial intellect which gave names to the designed overhumans. Creatures grew in capsules, in a rapid tempo passing stages from babyhood to maturity. They were destinated to come out from capsules as adults, "taught" by Lambda 3000 and ready to work and research.

Hector Mink. Marius Am. Dorian Boma. Maximilan Zavi. Elian Rozen. Leonard Lagat. Joseph Salas. Adrian Domina. Julian Jade. Cornelius Dean. Antoine Wallace. Paris Claire. Claud Bell.

The names were just signs and marks of new lines. The young blondies looked perfect. Golden hair and snow-white bodies, and eyes wide open for their fate.

Adelberth did not know, what kind of personalities they will be.  
He will not be the only one to decide their destiny.


	14. Chapter 14

She knew her name and her destination. One day a big beautiful hologram of a light-haired woman lit in the laboratory of artificial intelligence. The electronic voice spoke, and Lambda 3000 said, "I am Jupiter, I am mother of these children".

Arman was happy. His creation surpassed his most daring dreams. The machine functioned as a personality! It was perfect.

However, Garret did not share his delight. Deep in his soul the old scientist did not approve neither of the growing role of the artificial intelligence, nor of the cruel and vulgar methods, by which Douglas gained money for the colony.

\- This is a big risk, - he said. - Now the machine calls herself mother, and may be one day she will decide to take power over the world.

Douglas joked:  
\- I don't think she will be more insane than me!

\- You mock everything and you do not think, that your genetic offspring will inherit your traits. A human and his problems are like a snail and its shell: wherever you go, you take your "house" with.


	15. Chapter 15

"Our old man worries in vain, " - thought Douglas every time when professor Fort warned the others about the consequences of too daring experiments. - "And I wonder, why he doesn't use anti-aging properties, like Arman and me do. Naturalness! It is already out of fashion. It's strange for a scientist to believe in the nature and providence. What can be more natural than eternal youth and beauty?".

Zavi used the newest remedies from genetic laboratories, but still refused to take off his mask. Even when Amoi was almost free. Even when clinics for plastic surgery opened and started to attract more and more people.

Theodore Claire still suffered from insomnia. And even if he fell asleep, he could rise from his bed without waking up, get dressed and walk in the park, among almond trees. Sometimes he wandered through the red-light districts, and tired and emotional tourists did not dare to make a row. He seemed to be a devil in flesh, watchdog of Amoi.

 

In some months the scientists elicited the first "super-human" from the laboratories. "Mother" Jupiter named these youth "blondies" and this short and sounding name came into general use quickly.

Marius Am passed the stages of childhood and teenage age extra-rapidly in capsule and came out in the world as an adult, and in the first days it was difficult for him to move, his speech was not sure yet, with pauses and intonations like of a person who speaks a foreign language and doubts whether he speaks right. A medical uniform fitted him a bit awkwardly - he looked sometimes like a tailor's dummy.

But there was no doubt in his intellect. The IQ test showed 299 points, and Adelberth was sure that other blondies can achieve even higher results. This blondie was already "born" with all the necessary medical knowledge and soon started to work together with his creator. The history of elite started. Alongside with blondies, scientists started to create youth with different types of abilities and talents, who could work in different fields. Features, which earlier seemed strange - unusual hair color and considerable height became the differentiating sign of "new people".

One day Garreth and Douglas came to look at the young blondie, for whom Douglas became kind of "genetic father". Garreth said:  
\- Your son can become even more perfect than the first blondie. You can secure a victory even when the situation is close to defeat, Douglas. But once life can turn vice versa, do not forget this. I feel I am getting too old and too feeble, my time is ending... Don't even persuade me to use all our medical achievements. I have lived my life, it's enough for me. May be it is better for me not to see the coming future...

In the last days of his life Douglas will not remember these words. He will live long enough and will see the elite as mature adults. He will see the death of many people who started the new life with him.

But in the last moments it will be not important. He will remember that day when in childhood he went together with father to see sculptures made of ice.


	16. Chapter 16

The first death in the colony turned the inhabitants of the newly grown city in almost mysterious fear.  
Though years had passed, no one died yet on Amoi, and Garreth Fort, commander-in-chief, was this first one. This loss seemed unbearable.

By that time neither in Tanagura - the city of the scientists - nor in Midas, where entertainment quarters grew, was a cemetery or a crematorium. 

\- And we must not start to build cemeteries, - said Arman, when he heard about the death. - This is tribute to the past and we came here to start the future. All these graves and monuments serve those who are alive. We keep memory about the deceased in our hearts. Or do not keep...

\- But Garreth did respect the past and the traditions, even here, - said Adelberth.  
Looking at the empty armchair in the assembly hall, he felt a dreadful emptiness. Garreth gave them all a chance. And now he is gone.

\- Still we must not invite priests here, - roughly said Douglas. - We ran away from religion and the past. We must give the tribute in a new way.

 

At last they decided to bury Garreth Fort in the catacomb of Eos, and later to create crypts and crematoriums. This funeral was the most monumental in the history of Amoi. Only much later, funeral of the most virtuous, and then in some time funeral of the most odious blondie will surpass it. But this will happen later, when times of the colonists will become a legend.

Simple workers and great scientists, citizens, tourists and journalists came to honor Garreth Fort. And only in the Federation publicity kept silence, and even Forth's relatives did not care.

*

\- It was such a light death... - said Arman, returning from the funeral hand-in-hand with Douglas. He felt exhausted by the loss and by the hard work at the machines. - Only people, who have a clear conscience, can die just like this. Fall asleep and never wake up.

\- Or people, who have no conscience at all, just like me, - smirked Douglas. - Life goes on and we will have a pretty happy time. What I ask you, Arman... If I die earlier, than you, please do not feel sad and do not give yourself a hard job with all these ceremonies. I want to see happy faces at my funeral.

 

He was quite right - future generations in Federation and even sometimes in Amoi will rejoice when blondies from line Boma will die. His offsprings will be laid to rest, covered with blood-red cloth, colors of war.

But this will happen much later...

And now life went on. First blondies started to work alongside with humans, waiting quietly, when THEIR time starts.


	17. Chapter 17

Time passed. When districts of Midas grew more and more rich and young blondies by the by started to fulfill duties in their fields, the Federal Government suddenly established connection with the Abyss headquarters again. After the first conversation Adelberth announced to his compeers:  
\- When we have become a wealthy state, Federation needs our land back. The government wants us to recognize the status of a colony and obey the general federal laws.

Douglas clenched his hands into hard fists.  
\- This will never happen. Never!

Adelberth said:  
\- The ambassador from Federation will arrive here in a week. I guess we must receive him here, with all our fellows and the new elite.

Theodore looked him with a usual weird glance.  
\- I guess no. First someone must press the old man alone. And then, when he is ready, we will show him our heirs.

Arman kept silence for a moment, but then said:  
\- I would rather agree with Theodore. We will make a great impression.

Douglas laughed:  
\- Your young genius knows more, than we all do!

But Claire kept serious.  
\- I know, why you are in your element when it comes to war. But be cautious. War loves you... but sooner or later it will kill you.

*

In a week the ambassador arrived. Douglas and Arman met him in a private room in a restaurant in Mistral-park. And it turned out, that right this man was the last one who would wish to see Arman alive and happy.

\- I am glad to see, that you are happy and wealthy, Mr. Manning, - Arman said. - Well, I congratulate you on starting a new mission.

\- Edmond Cunningham? YOU?... - the man was nearly panick-stricken.

\- I am almost grateful to you for my exile, -Arman asked. - In New-Washington I would not have reached what I have got now.

\- In the capital you could have become famous. May be even take charge of the Federal Security Service. But you chose to oppose. Will you change your mind now? - bleak blue eyes looked at him with bewilderment. - You come from one of the most wealthy and well-known families in the capital. What for did you decide to struggle against the authorities? Is it so interesting for you to work in this one-eyed town?

Arman took the glass of wine, which Douglas gave him and said mildly:  
\- Please, do not call me by my old name. Edmond Cunningham died in the StPhillip prison. My only true name now is Arman Zavi, and I have no homeland except Amoi and no family except people I work with.

\- Your refusal means war.

\- Only my personal word does not mean anything. But I speak up for people who worked here and who created a successful state on this severe land. We all will not let the Federation own what we and only we created.

\- I say the same, - confirmed Douglas.

He could hardly hide his surprise. Of course, he heard about the famous case of Edmond Cunningham, who opposed harassment and bullying of scientists, journalists and anti-clerical leaders and was put to prison for this. He saw photos in newspapers - but on that photos Cunningham was blonde. May be his hair became darker after stresses or he had it dyed.

 

\- You will lose the war, - said Manning.

\- I know it is possible, but I will struggle to the death, - answered Douglas. - We and you will stay enemies forever.


	18. Chapter 18

\- Would you be so kind to leave your precious machines for a while? -Douglas came up to Arman slowly, like a wolf to his prey.  
\- I am so surprised to see that at last you show good manners, - answered Arman with an incisive smile.  
\- I'm just a soldier and I dunnot know tender words, - Douglas touched his shoulder lightly. - And gotta no time for tenderness. I have given an order on mobilization of all healthy folks, and we are buying new shuttles legally and illegally, getting all needed means for any price. Soon the war will start. I have got so few moments of a calm life.  
\- I know that, - said Arman, surprized, but not opposing his touch. - Why are you telling me this again?  
\- Cause may be today is the last evening when I see you. The last day when I can tell you, that I love you, Arman. May be, some time later I will be killed in this war and will never have the chance to say that I do love you... that I want to see your face without this mask.  
\- Douglas...

Boma tossed his head.  
\- You're shocked? I won't hold a grudge if you say 'no'. No one can make you love back. I understand.

Arman smiled nervously.  
\- You are so silly... I just did not think that anyone will ever love me. After everything I had done to my family. The Cunninghams have always been faithful servants for the Federation. No matter what the government did. And I... I was the black sheep. If you only knew, how much efforts and money it took my cousin to create the appearance of my death and send me far away from New-Washington. And he had to marry my bride - no one else would have married her after such a scandal. I destroyed so many lives that I am not worth being loved.

\- You demand too much from yourself. It won't go.

\- I cannot think and act in another way... - said Arman in a sad voice.

Douglas hugged him.  
\- Don't think whether you deserve anything or not. Just tell me honestly, if we can be together or I'm repulsive for you. I will take any answer as granted.

Silently, Zavi took off his mask.

Rumors about uneffective plastic surgery were lies. A prefectly handsome face was marked only with a stigma - a five-point star with a cross inside, mark of StPhillippe jail.  
Douglas pressed lips to this mark.

Arman kissed him.  
In these kisses there was no tenderness, only longing of two lonely souls, who understand that may be they have no tomorrow. Mutual attraction of the doomed, who can die the next day.


	19. Chapter 19

They spent all the night in bedroom, and Douglas will forever remember that wildness, that suddenly came out in Arman's quiet and reserved character. Now Arman was the leader, who could take and dominate, and Douglas trusted him like never, nobody before. Douglas had no one worshipped like this, promising to conquer all the galaxy - "just for you, my love".

Time will pass, and distant descendant in the line Boma will almost fulfill this dream, having conquered the Federation. But it is the fate of all the Boma - to love those who do not need these "gifts", won with blood, sword and fire.

Douglas will luckily not know about this future.

*

...He had taken part in so many wars that it would be enough for many lives. It was time in youth, when Douglas was the lion under the throne for a federal commander-in-chief. And now he had to lead a war against the state, which was no longer his homeland.

He re-located most of the armed forces to the moons, Argentum and Aurum, and planned to give the decisive battle near the Silvermoon - a small town on the first of the planetary satellites.

Douglas trusted Amoi to the blondie, who was his genetical heir. In that time Dorian Boma was a tall and thin young man, delicate and thoughtful. The young blondie looked like a crystal statuette, compared with this rough and noisy father. Dorian's hair was touched with gray - not knowing childhood, he was betwixt and between - neither a young man, nor an experienced adult yet. In many centuries, his descendant, Dorian the Second, will inherit this trait.

Boma-Junior did not feel anxiety, bidding farewell to father. He was as usual calm and concentrated.

\- I will justify your confidence, father, - that was the only thing he said.


End file.
